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Unit 5: Wireless PAN Components

users, while satisfying the company's business requirements. The next-generation WLAN Notes
would also need to provide native support for wireless voice and video, with high levels of
accessibility, availability, and security to reduce service-impacting incidents.
Our goal was to deploy an enterprise-class, on-demand wireless network that is suitable
as a primary access medium," says Oisín Mac Alasdair, Cisco IT program manager for
wireless strategy and architecture. "In the short term, we want to support at least 50 percent
of our users adopting wireless as their regular network access method. Over the longer
term, that percentage should continue to rise."
Solution
The Cisco Next-Generation WLAN program, which began in May 2006, will evolve Cisco
IT's existing indoor wireless network infrastructure into a more available, stable, and
secure network. Cisco IT will increase the number of access points - from 3100 to more
than 6000 - in more than 300 Cisco locations worldwide and deploy the latest intelligent
and fully integrated Cisco wireless products.

The next-generation WLAN is based on the Cisco Unified Wireless Network solution,
which combines centralized Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers with Lightweight Access
Point Protocol (LWAPP)-enabled access points, and distributed, autonomous access points
based on Cisco IOS Software. (Figure 1)
Campus sites. At main campuses, the new WLAN design uses 100 or more Cisco Aironet®
1130AG Series access points. The Cisco Aironet 1130AG Series is an ideal choice for these
large sites, because it offers enterprise-class features such as high-performance 802.11a and
802.11g radios, integrated antennas, and 802.11i security compliance.
Campus buildings are served by two or more Cisco Catalyst® 6500 Series switches with
Wireless Services Modules (WiSMs). Authorized user traffic is carried over LWAPP
tunnels, while guest traffic is carried in a generic routing encapsulation (GRE) tunnel.
The WLAN is managed with internal systems and the Cisco Wireless Control System
(WCS), which provides comprehensive tools for planning, monitoring, and control. (Figure
2) Location servers installed in a Cisco data center enable delivery and management of
location-based services for users.

Large and midsized field sales offices. Large and midsized field offices will also use a
centralized WLAN solution, with up to 98 Cisco Aironet 1130AG Series access points that
are controlled by dual Cisco 4400 Series Wireless LAN Controller appliances and managed
by the Cisco WCS. (Figure 3) The Cisco 4400 Series controllers manage officewide WLAN
functions such as security policies, intrusion prevention, Auto RF, QoS, and mobility.

Small field sales offices. The smallest offices will use up to four Cisco Aironet 1200 Series
access points running Cisco IOS Software. No local WLAN controller is required because a
dedicated access point provides wireless domain services. These small office WLANs will
be managed with the Cisco Wireless LAN Solution Engine (WLSE). (Figure 4)
Wireless clients. In conjunction with the global upgrade of the WLAN architecture, the
Cisco Secure Services Client will be supported on all client endpoints. The adoption of a
single authentication framework allows Cisco IT to standardize on a single client for all
devices, which simplifies support and reduces the company's total cost of ownership for
wireless networking. The Cisco Secure Services Client is also compatible with a wide range
of wireless adaptors that support the Cisco Certified Extensions (CCX) program.
New capabilities.The new WLAN architecture supports enhanced capabilities such as
location-based services; improved guest access; enhanced wireless voice services for
dual-band phones and other user devices; and outdoor coverage on campus sites. The
architecture also enables security through an integrated wireless intrusion detection
Contd...

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